Bruins’ cushion in standings allows Bruce Cassidy to tinker - The Boston Globe
OTTAWA — In April, if the Bruins are holding a lead, it’s unlikely that Tim Schaller will get the nod for six-on-five duty when the opposing goalie is pulled. On the blue line, Brandon Carlo may cede his end-game shifts to Kevan Miller or Adam McQuaid. Those two musclemen are not high on the list of characters that opponents want to meet in the dark-alley real estate in front of the net.
But current experience will help when the playoffs begin.
The Bruins’ 14-0-4 rampage through their last 18 opponents has assured that 2017-18 will continue past Game No. 82. They pause for Sunday’s All-Star Game in second place in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins are 5 points ahead of third-place Toronto. They are 20 points clear of Detroit, the No. 4 team amid the divisional drecks of Florida, Ottawa, Montreal, and Buffalo.
“You can tinker with some things,” Cassidy said after Thursday’s 3-2 win over the Senators. “We’ve used [David] Krejci’s line, that’s more of an offensive-start line, late in periods in our own end or in the last minute to grow their game and get used to playing against top-end players.
“We’ve done it on the back end. I’ve told Kevin [Dean] to try and do that at times — Carlo the other night ahead of Miller and McQuaid.
“So we want to grow our group. We’ve got a young team. We understand that. It’s not a developmental league per se. But there is a lot of development going on.”
OTTAWA — In April, if the Bruins are holding a lead, it’s unlikely that Tim Schaller will get the nod for six-on-five duty when the opposing goalie is pulled. On the blue line, Brandon Carlo may cede his end-game shifts to Kevan Miller or Adam McQuaid. Those two musclemen are not high on the list of characters that opponents want to meet in the dark-alley real estate in front of the net.
But current experience will help when the playoffs begin.
The Bruins’ 14-0-4 rampage through their last 18 opponents has assured that 2017-18 will continue past Game No. 82. They pause for Sunday’s All-Star Game in second place in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins are 5 points ahead of third-place Toronto. They are 20 points clear of Detroit, the No. 4 team amid the divisional drecks of Florida, Ottawa, Montreal, and Buffalo.
“You can tinker with some things,” Cassidy said after Thursday’s 3-2 win over the Senators. “We’ve used [David] Krejci’s line, that’s more of an offensive-start line, late in periods in our own end or in the last minute to grow their game and get used to playing against top-end players.
“We’ve done it on the back end. I’ve told Kevin [Dean] to try and do that at times — Carlo the other night ahead of Miller and McQuaid.
“So we want to grow our group. We’ve got a young team. We understand that. It’s not a developmental league per se. But there is a lot of development going on.”